To turnaround a photo essay, make the photos web-ready and upload them to WordPress

The basic workflow is to:
- Copy the photos from the camera to the computer
- Reduce them in size/weight (typically 1200x900)
- Upload them WordPress' media library
- Include a caption for each photo
- Insert them as a gallery into the related written post

Here is a detailed breakdown of each step

First, manage the image files on the computer

1. Start by creating a new, empty folder on the computer where you'll dump the new JPEG files. Use the Finder, the Mac's folder and file explorer. Use Windows Explorer if you're on a Windows system. Create this new folder on the Desktop or in the Documents folder, wherever it makes sense. Name it after your project.

2. Remove the memory card from the camera and insert it into the card reader.

3. Locate the memory card device on the computer and locate its folder that contains today's JPEG files (sort by Date Created for ease).

4. Copy all of the desired JPEG files and paste them all into the new folder you created. To Select All, single-click the first file to highlight it, then hold down the SHIFT key as you single-click the last file to highlight it and all files in between. Use the keyboard commands CMD-C and CMD-V to copy and paste (or use CTRL-C and CTRL-V in Windows).

5. In the new folder, switch the Finder view to Details or Columns so that you can view info about the files. Single-click any file and notice how many megabites it is and what its pixel dimensions are. You need to batch convert these huge, heavy files down to a lighter, web-friendly size. Highlight them all and open them in Preview (or equivalent basic photo editor in Windows).

6. If you took some of your photos vertically, open those in their own Preview window.

Next, edit your work in the Preview app

1. Peruse all pics, evaluate which are the strongest, which ones best tell your story. This is the creative and subjective part of the process. Use your photojournalist's eye. Right click in contents pane to close out the ones you don't want and narrow down your best choices to about a dozen or so.

2. Highlight all files in the contents pane, then in Preview's top options menu, go to Tools » Adjust Size to batch edit the dimensions of all the files.

3. Make sure you're editing pixels, not inches, percent, points, centimeters, etc. Also make sure the Scale Proportionally and Resample Image boxes are checked.

4. Change the image width to 1200 pixels. It will auto-detect the corresponding height (around 900 pixels). If you're editing vertical images, make the width 900 and the functionality will automatically make the height 1200.

5. Save All and export to a new subfolder -- name it "best choices" or something similar.

6. Go back to new folder in the Finder to compare the reduced sizes.

Last, make a gallery in WordPress

1. Log in to FIRST TAKE's WordPress site. Your username is your first initial and last name. Use the "forgot password" link if you forgot your password.

2. Once you're logged in to the admin dashboard, use the left nav to go to Media » Library

3. Click the Add New button and then the Select Media button to open files from your computer. Highlight/select only the reduced files, and upload them all (i.e. just the dozen or so best choices).

4. Click to view each pic and write clear captions. Don't worry about changing the image title or adding a description -- just fill in the caption field.

5. Learn the art and science of news photo caption writing by quickly reading:
   -Write the perfect caption every time
   -Cutlines & Captions

6. Once the article is written, insert these photos as a gallery between paragraphs at a break point somewhere down in the story. Click the Add Media button above the text editing box.

7. Click the "Create Gallery" on the left side and be sure to use the gallery type pulldown menu to select "Tiled Mosaic." You can also place the images in a preferred order.

8. Click the Insert button and the system automagaically does what it does. You're pretty much done. Just preview the post and tighten up the gallery as you see fit.